After long delays (the restaurant was initially expected to open in the spring of 2014), BURG officially opened Monday. Siversen blames the hold-ups on "a complex and unfortunate combination of issues, including typical bureaucratic mishaps from a variety of agencies coupled with a kitchen supplier who was simply not competent."

For the first couple of weeks, the restaurant will only be open Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., but Siversen says BURG's regular hours will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. or so, seven days a week. That's in a city where upscale nightlife often struggles without a headliner at NJPAC or the Prudential Center. In fact, the flourishing Asbury Park-based Smith restaurant group just shut down the Monk Room, a block south of the Prudential Center, in September after two years.

But Biederman Redevelopment Ventures, which oversaw the park renovation, believes that BURG could revitalize the area in much the same way Bryant Park Grill did for Bryant Park in the 1980s. (Although with President Obama in town, Monday might not be the best day to check it out.)

Burgers are, of course, the speciality of the house at the BURG, starting at $8.50 for a classic cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato and special sauce. (The priciest item on the menu is the double burger for $15.)